BlindWays: The Bus Stops Here

Where Can I Make A Difference?

How BlindWays Works

GPS technology helps users navigate to within 30 feet of their destination. If a person is blind or has very low vision, being 30 feet away from a bus stop can often mean missing the bus entirely. BlindWays closes that “last 30 feet of frustration” with clues contributed by volunteers that describe permanent landmarks near the bus stop – a tree, a fire hydrant, a mailbox. The crowdsourced clues bring users to within four or five feet (the average length of a white cane) of their bus stop so they can touch the signpost and verify they are in the right spot. Additionally, BlindWays connects to beacons to alert users navigating to bus stops on MBTA routes 70 and 71 of the presence of a bus stop sign using vibrations. Using BlindWays gives visually impaired commuters the confidence they need to travel independently.

Bluetooth beacons: BlindWays connects to beacons to alert users navigating to bus stops on MBTA routes 70 and 71 of the presence of a bus stop sign using vibrations. As the user approaches the bus stop sign using crowdsourced navigational landmark clues, the vibrations intensify and the user will hear a subtle sound, along with a VoiceOver notification: "You have arrived at the stop. Review the clues to confirm your location.” The vibrations will slow down if the user travels past the bus stop sign. BlindWays connects to beacons being installed by the MBTA in an experimental pilot.